US 8,806,020 B1 · Peer-to-peer communication session monitoring

Abstract

The present invention allows primary communication sessions that are established between two communication clients to be monitored, wherein such monitoring occurs without the knowledge of the communication clients. An intercept tunnel is created between an intercept server and an access concentration point, which supports at least one of the communication clients over an access network. The access concentration point and the intercept server will cooperate to allow the communication session to be established, wherein a portion of the communication session will be established over the intercept tunnel. A first communication session is established with the first communication client through the access concentration point, a portion of it provided via the intercept tunnel. A second communication session is established with the second communication client. The intercept server will essentially receive and forward traffic to and from the first and second communication clients over respective first and second communication sessions.

Claims28

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

providing a tunnel with a first access concentration point;
for a primary communication session between a first communication client and a second communication client:
establishing a first communication session with the first communication client via the first access concentration point on behalf of the second communication client, wherein at least a portion of a path for the first communication session is provided by the tunnel;
establishing a second communication session with the second communication client on behalf of the first communication client;
receiving packet traffic from either of the first or second communication clients via a corresponding one of the first and second communication sessions to obtain recovered packet traffic;
forwarding the recovered packet traffic toward a destination of either the first or second communication client via a corresponding one of the first or second communication sessions;
and
effecting monitoring of the recovered packet traffic.

5 more elements

An apparatus for intercepting communications comprising:

at least one packet communication interface;
and
a control system associated with the at least one packet communication interface and adapted to:
provide a tunnel with a first access concentration point;
and
for a primary communication session between a first communication client and a second communication client:
establish a first communication session with the first communication client via the first access concentration point on behalf of the second communication client, wherein at least a portion of a path for the first communication session is provided by the tunnel;
establish a second communication session with the second communication client on behalf of the first communication client;
receive packet traffic from either of the first or second communication client via a corresponding one of the first or second communication sessions to obtain recovered packet traffic;
forward the recovered packet traffic toward a destination of either the first or second communication clients via a corresponding one of the first or second communication sessions;
and
effect monitoring of the recovered packet traffic.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Peer-to-peer communication session monitoring

Life of this patent

Peer-to-peer communication session monitoring

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims28